Wanda M. Allen, 90, Boise, Idaho, formerly of Ohio County, peacefully went home to heaven to be with Jesus on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, Feb. 15, 2015, as she was listening to some of her favorite hymns, surrounded by loving members of her Family in prayer. She was born Sept. 18, 1924, in Ohio County, daughter of the late William Mack Allen and Anna Muriel (Crowder) Allen.
Wanda was a loving, praying, devoted, generous, gracious daughter, sister, sister-in-law, friend, aunt, wife, neighbor, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. We thank Father God for her so, loved her dearly, and will miss her so every day. She loved Jesus and God’s Word. She was so filled with the love and compassion of Jesus for people. People would often comment how she was always telling them how much she loved them…even up until her last days spent here on earth. She taught and lived out to all who knew her the sacrificial love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Wanda absolutely loved being a full-time loving mother and homemaker. She loved to cook and serve others. She made the best pies and cakes! She loved fashion/clothing and decorating her home. She loved all of God’s creation: birds, rainy days, sunshine, tea time, snow falling, moonlight and stars, leaves in the Fall, blossoms in the Spring, mallard ducks and geese on the water, picking daffodils in the Spring, flowers, long drives in the country, traveling, mountains, oceans, sunsets, sunrises and oh, so much more.
From youth, Wanda loved to sing with the voice Father God gave her to sing to Him. She was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church where she was so blessed to be able to sing with the choir for a time. Wanda loved singing hymns, Church reunions and singings, revivals, and listening to Gospel groups. She sang hymns, filled with thanksgiving and praise unto Him, all along her journey of faith home through the many, many trials, tribulations, and afflictions filled with many sufferings and losses. These times even included the later stages of Alzheimer’s, as she gradually lost her memory. Even then, she remembered those hymns she grew up singing and was singing them unto Him. As He guided and brought her through all of these times, many got to witness how He strengthened her faith and proved it genuine, while growing her up into Christlikeness, all to His glory. Generously and sacrificially, she served, loved, and encouraged those in her Family, Body of Christ and all those He sovereignly brought into her life. Filled with His love and mercy, Wanda was very instrumental in encouraging and supporting a daughter and son-in-law in their adoption of two children, a daughter, who is deaf, and a son, from orphanages in Africa.
Wanda was preceded in death by many dearly loved ones including her brother, Vivian E. Allen, sisters, Maxine Allen, Margaret Hecox, Anna Sparks, Lois Burgess, and son-in-law, Ron Voight.
Wanda was blessed by her surviving children and families: Charles Edward (Eddie) Ashby, Jr., of Beaver Dam, Ky.; Michael (Mike) Paul Haven (Sharon) of Owensboro, Kentucky; Pamela Sue Hofer (Ken) of Seattle, Wash./Boise, Idaho; Patricia (Patty) Lynn Voight of Rolla, Mo.; Donna Elaine Cochran (Bill) of Powell, Ohio, and 13 grandchildren, along with many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, a sister, Betty Lou Hunter, of Louisville, and sister-in-law, Mary Ann Allen, also of Louisville, Ky.
Burial will be at Sunnyside Cemetery. Memorial donations and expressions of sympathy may be made to: The Gideons International at P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, Tenn. 37214-0800.
Memorial service/Homecoming Celebration will be at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Beaver Dam, Ky., Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m. with Bro. Scott Fleener officiating.
William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is in charge of arrangements.